Tucson, AZ is Home to the World’s First Quilt Bomb
February 18, 2012
You have heard of ‘yarn bombing,’ well now a group I belong to, the Fiber Artists of Southern Arizona, has invented the quilt bomb! We had a blast doing the installation last night. A link to a video of the late-night installation is here.
FASA chose the Arizona Historical Society as the site of the world’s first quilt bomb because it is co-hosting the exhibition ‘One Hundred Years, One Hundred Quilts’ with the Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame as part of the state centennial celebrations. A reception for the quilters was held this morning and was virtually a ‘Who’s Who’ of Arizona quilters. You can see the exhibition through the end of 2012.
The work of FASA artists has roots in the quilting tradition, and we thought it was a great way to honor our past and celebrate the state of today’s art quilt. People who come to the exhibition can see that quilts can come off the bed, off the walls, and even onto the trees!
FASA is Barbara Hall, Trisha Hastings-Sargent, Joanne Krawchuk, Sandy Lambert, Sharon Nemirov, Aimee Smythe, Peggie Thomas, Mary Vaneecke and Kay Wild.
UPDATE: The Arizona Historical Society has offered to make the quilt bomb a part of the exhibition’s history….Needless to say, we are thrilled. The installation will be removed on Monday, February 27.
Photos follow. Please share this link with all your quilt/fiber art friends….
World's First Quilt Bomb, Tucson, AZ, February 18, 2012.
World's First Quilt Bomb, Tucson, AZ, February 18, 2012.
A long view of the quilt bomb. A total of nine pieces were installed.
Aimee Smythe's colorful piece.
Viewers are asked to write their own inspirational words and attach them to the work.
Barbara Hall installed prayer flags of quilt blocks she made during her mother's final illness.
Joanne Krawchuk used several experimental pieces for her installation.
Kay Wild's festive contribution to the quilt bomb.
I used a hand-dyed, painted piece from my 'Samaras' series.
Peggie Thomas' work includes rust dyeing and some of her ranching family's brands.
Sandy Lambert's 'Bird House' installation includes a string of charming felt birds.
Bird House, detail
Sharon Nemirov's piece is 20 feet long, hand-painted and machine stitched with messages like 'Embellish Our World."
Trisha Hastings-Sargent's installation is inspired by the color palette of her stitched landscapes.
Comments (29)
What motivates you to buy a piece of art?
February 9, 2012
I have been mulling this question over the last few weeks. Some collectors buy on impulse: they see a work that speaks to them and they have to have it. If the price is right they buy it on the spot knowing that someone else can come by and snap it up. Others, like a couple who came into Flux Gallery a few weeks ago, have their eyes on a piece for TWO YEARS before they buy it. Some seek a particular color. One of my collectors purchased my Egyptian-inspired piece Fragment because the ibis was one of the marsh birds depicted on it (he has an ibis collection).
I recently sold a very dark work I call The Fabric of Our Community After January 8. It is a piece I created believing no one would ever purchase, but one I needed to make all the same. I tried to evoke the despair I felt for the victims and my hometown that day and in the aftermath of the Tucson shootings. I completed the work within 3 weeks of the tragedy. Because made the piece so soon after the event, there are no rainbows or happy transformational symbolism in the work, just the delicate golden husks of a few Indonesian silk cocoons. The work was spotted on my website by a collector and now hangs in his corporate offices.
Over the holidays, I purchased two works I have had my eye on for some time. Aspen and Copse are both by my friend C.J. Shane, who is known for her abstracted ‘big sky’ landscapes. They would perfectly fill some corner wall space that had long been empty in my home. The sizes and colors are terrific for the space. The pieces themselves were soothing–the yellows appear to glow softly against the blues. I will see them every day and wanted something calm and tranquil. They remind me of Hart Prairie in northern Arizona, which has a large aspen clone in a meadow below Mt. Humphreys. I love the way they looked when installed (see below). The fact that I know Shane, like her work, and want to support it is ‘icing on the cake.’
I suspect the answer to my question has as many variables as there are art purchases, but I’ll ask anyway: why did you buy a particular piece of art? Was it the theme? Color? Size? Subject matter? Medium? Did you buy it as part of a charity fundraiser? If you are an artist, tell me why you think people buy your work.
'Copse' (left) and 'Aspen' (right) by C.J. Shane
'Copse' and 'Aspen' installed
Comments (0)
Great Open Studio Tour at Flux Gallery
November 14, 2011
Painters Lee Beach and Sheryl Holland and I brought our studios to Flux Gallery for the weekend and had a great time meeting folks and sharing our work. Lee worked on some of his miniatures–look for them at the Small Works Show at Flux on December 9th and 10th. Sheryl began work on several paintings. About a 100 people came out to the gallery (braving the cool rainy weather) and I sold all but one of my Shibori Chic scarves. A nice way to spend the weekend!
Lee Beach painting miniatures at the Open Studio Tour.
Sheryl Holland working at the gallery in front of one of her finished paintings.
Comments (0)
Find me at Flux Gallery for the Open Studio Tour
November 7, 2011
I’m packing up some Shibori Chic scarves, t-shirts, and works in process for the Open Studio Tour, Saturday and Sunday, 11-4. I will also have videos of my 14′ sewing machines for ‘show and tell.’ Last but not least, this week I am framing several new ‘little gems’–small framed pieces starting at $35. Each one is hand-dyed or discharged, painted, layered and stitched. Some are embellished with shells, agate, or copper. Great little gifts of art for the holidays.
This year I will move my studio for the weekend to Flux Gallery in Plaza Palomino at Swan and Ft. Lowell. Artists Lee Beech and Sheryl Holland will also be there. It will be lots of fun. Hope to see you there.
Shibori Chic scarves hang in the studio.
Comments (0)
Shibori Chic
October 25, 2011
I am working on my line of Shibori Chic clothing for the Open Studio Tour on November 12 & 13 (I’ll be doing the OST at Flux Gallery this year). My scarves and t-shirts will also be at the Tubac Arts Center. Check out the before:
Shibori Chic: before
and after:
Shibori Chic scarves ready for gift-giving.
Comments (1)
Arizona Centennial Quilt Project
October 19, 2011
Tucson filmmaker Dan Buckley is documenting the 100 Years, 100 Quilts Project as part of the Arizona state centennial celebrations. The exhibition runs next year at the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson. Check out Dan’s blog here. Warning: Cuteness alert: Brownie Troop delivering their quilt for the exhibition.
Comments (0)
End of Subversive Stitches Show….
September 28, 2011
Sigh. Took the show down today. It has been a whirlwind year and this show was the ‘cherry on top.’ Many thanks to Therese Perreault, and the collectors who bought two of the pieces and Mari Herreras for the great Tucson Weekly interview. Therese mentioned that she wanted to invite all the artists who have shown with Arts Marketplace this year to submit a few pieces for a group show for the month of December. No rest for the wicked…..going to write those thank-you notes.
Almost Symmetrical, 72'' x 48'' installed for Subversive Stitches Exhibition
Comments (0)
Fifteen Minutes of Fame…
September 8, 2011
The Tucson Weekly has an article by Mari Herreras in their current edition about my exhibition at Arts Marketplace. It highlights my upcoming talk, Confessions of a Subversive Stitcher, scheduled for Thursday, September 15 at 6:30 at Arts Marketplace, 403 N 6th Ave (south of 6th Street). Hope to see you there!
Comments (0)
Just like Christmas morning….
September 8, 2011
Dyeing fabric is a lengthy and ultimately serendipitous process. It involves planning, folding, manipulating, measuring, pouring, dripping, batching, waiting, washing, rinsing, washing, mopping, and more washing. Did I mention you have to do a lot of washing? You have to take careful notes if you want to be able to reproduce the results some time in the future. Finally, you toss the fabric into the dryer and eagerly await the final results.
That is my favorite part. There is always a happy surprise or two. Here is a little bit of what I have created over the last few days….
Hand-dyed rayon in 'celery'
Hand-dyed 'turquoise' linen
Shibori hand-dyed rayon
Can’t wait to get these puppies into some artwork!
Comments (0)
Subversive Stitches Reception (& 2 red dots)
September 4, 2011
Signage
The opening reception last night was an unqualified success! We had a great crowd of over 200 people at the event. The gallery at Arts Marketplace has two huge brick walls which set off my black and discharged work beautifully. The food and wine was great and it was wonderful to have the support of good friends at my first solo show….
Best of all, two pieces have found new homes! My friend Clare bought Moon River I, which is embellished with a lovely slice of polished agate. Fragment will be going home with a lovely couple who particularly admired the imagery and experimental technique of the piece. I recently reworked Fragment before its debut exhibition here, and now I am glad I did.
I am over the moon with the success of the show so far. Therese (Arts Marketplace’s Director) has been working hard on the show and our efforts are really paying off. Thanks, T and everyone else who making the show a success (JK, Bob, etc., etc.) !
My talk, Confessions of a Subversive Stitcher, will be Thursday September 15th from 6:30-7:30 pm. The show hangs until September 27, so come and see it while you can. Hours are Thursday, Friday, Saturday, noon-6pm at.
My friend Clare and I
Fiber Artists of Southern Arizona were out in full force...
Some of the crowd at Arts Marketplace
Some small works at the show.
Therese (center), Arts Marketplace Director
some of the larger pieces on the exposed brick....
red dot #2
Comments (0)
You Are Cordially Invited….
August 21, 2011
- Subversive Stiches Solo Exhibition Invitation
The show is up and here is your invitation to see Subversive Stitches at Arts Marketplace. The opening reception will conveniently be held Saturday, Sept. 3 from 7-8:30 pm. That is during the First Saturday Arts Walk in the warehouse district. It is also Labor Day weekend, but do stop by if you can. Arts Marketplace is at 403 N. 6th Ave. south of 6th St. across from Miller’s Supply. No need to RSVP. All are welcome to attend.
I will also hold an artist lecture Confessions of a Subversive Stitcher on Thursday, September 15 from 6:30-7:30 at Arts Marketplace. It will be fun. Hope you can make that, too.
Comments (2)
Subversive Stitches Show is Up!
August 19, 2011
Therese Perreault and I have finished hanging my Subversive Stitches solo exhibition at Arts Marketplace! They have a terrific space with a skylight and exposed brick walls, which really sets off my discharged and rust-dyed pieces. I was a bit worried about how the hanging would go against those uneven bricks, but T found a way to make it work.
I am using one of my latest (and never before exhibited) pieces Almost Symmetrical as the ‘signature’ work. It is the first piece you see when you walk in the door, and is featured on the e-vite. The photo below is a ‘preview of coming attractions.’ More posts and pictures will follow. The reception is Saturday, September 3, from 7-8:30 pm at Arts Marketplace (403 N. 6th Ave.). Hope to see you there. Now I have to get ready for my interview with the Tucson Weekly…
Almost Symmetrical, 72'' x 48'' installed for Subversive Stitches Exhibition
Comments (0)
Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics
August 17, 2011
Because my work has roots in the quilting tradition, I am really looking forward to this documentary. A nine-episode PBS program, it should be a very comprehensive look at the place quilts hold in our society. For a link to the website, click here. It will air in the fall in Kentucky, and is available on DVD.
Comments (0)
Why I Layer and Stitch-Part One, The Design Element
August 9, 2011
I thought I would blog a bit about how and why I work in fabric. I came to the art world as a quilter, and my art has roots in the quilting tradition. My work is usually layered and stitched together. That meets the technical definition of quilting, but we are talking form, not function, here. You would not want to sleep under my work!
First, I carefully plan a design–I am particularly fond of the S curve composition. I am open to serendipity and happy accidents in the design process, but I find I am happiest with my final product if I have a plan or roadmap to start. I keep in mind the possibilities for stitching/quilting as a design element even at this stage.
Next, I go to the fabric, altering its surface to establish the design. I might dye and/or bleach silk, cotton or rayon. Then comes layers of surface design in a combination of any of the following: paint, foil, decorative stitching, transferred images and/or embellishments. I am always referring back to my original draft design. Many artists would frame the piece and stop there.
But I find that layering and stitching the fabric adds texture and dimension to the work that I can’t get any other way. A picture is worth a thousand words, so to see what I mean, click here to see a one-and-a-half minute video about this effect on a piece I call Sahuaro Blooms. My quilting stitches are always designed to enhance the overall design. They are integral to the piece, outlining shapes I want to emphasize.
There are other reasons why I layer and stitch, but that is for another blog post. The original version of this post appears on Flux Gallery’s blog at www.fluxartists.com.
Comments (0)
Gearing Up for Subversive Stitches Solo Exhibition
August 7, 2011
Complementary Samaras II, 24 x 24''
I have been putting the finishing touches on the last two works for my solo exhibition Subversive Stitches at Arts Marketplace Tucson. This is one of the pieces, which I call Complementary Samaras II. It features my favorite color—a vibrant fuschia—in a gorgeous hand-dyed rayon. Rayon has a large number of molecular sites for dyes to attach to, which allows for this rich, deep color.
The dye patterning in this piece is subtle, but I love the way it recedes when you layer the fabric and densely stitch the straight lines into it with a coordinating variegated thread. The stitch lines appear in the middle ground over the dyed fabric, and the screen printed shapes come to the foreground. I love the great sense of depth in this piece.
Subversive Stitches will include Complementary Samaras II and four other new works that have never been exhibited. The opening reception is Saturday, September 3. Hope to see you there.
Comments (2)
Now a Flux Gallery Artist
July 7, 2011
As of July 1, 2011, I have joined artists Peter Eisner, Lynne Yamaguchi, Lee Roy Beach, CJ Shane, and Sheryl Holland at Flux Gallery in Plaza Palomino. Check out this contemporary gallery at 2960 N Swan Rd, Suite 136. Our summer hours are Wed-Fri 11am – 2pm, Sat. 10am – 1 pm and by appointment. Stay tuned for upcoming events. More about Flux at the website at www.fluxartists.com.
